Marvel has wrapped up season one of its latest show, Daredevil: Born Again. In a time where Marvel’s future is more uncertain than ever, they have delivered the slam dunk they desperately needed.
Serving as both a revival and continuation of Netflix’s highly successful Daredevil, which was canceled in 2018 after its third season, this new show has been a long time in the making. First greenlit in early 2022, season one was originally set to have a total of 18 episodes.
Due to production issues and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, it was decided to reduce season one to the first nine episodes, and release the other nine as season two. After a long production process, including the aforementioned delays on top of extensive reshoots, season one would premiere exclusively on Disney+ on March 4th, 2025.
All core cast members from the original Netflix series return, all giving amazing performances as their characters. Charlie Cox further cements himself as the only man who could ever portray Matthew Murdock in live-action, while Jon Bernthal does the same as the Punisher. Both prove that they are the perfect choices for their characters.
Ayelet Zurer expertly performs her role of the sneakily sinister Vanessa Fisk, while Wilson Bethel reprises is role as the chaotic, psychopathic Benjamin Poindexter, otherwise known as Bullseye. Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson also return as Karen Page and Foggy Nelson respectively, while newcomers such as Arty Froushan as Buck, Nikki M. James as Kirsten, and especially Michael Gandolfini as Daniel, all make the most of their screentime.
Without a shadow of a doubt, however, the standout of the show is, once again, Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin. That’s not even a slight to the other excellent performances in the show, D’Onofrio is just that good at playing the character. The way he shifts so effortlessly between brutal rage and pure calm is unsettling, keeping the viewer on the edge of their seat, just wondering when he’ll snap next.
The show is shot in stellar fashion, perfectly capturing the feeling of the Netflix show, while still having its own identity, shifting colours for important shots, and using frequent street shots of daily New York life as transitions. The visuals are further enhanced by the score, making full use of both original compositions and licensed music.
The fight scenes, like the Netflix series, are brutal, extremely well choreographed affairs, and while Daredevil doesn’t kill, the injuries his enemies sustain will probably leave them wishing he did. Visually, the only flaw of the show is the occasional shoddy CGI shot, but they are few and far between.
The show becomes a slow burn after rocketing out of the gates in the opening minutes of episode one, gradually accelerating in pace as it goes on. Characters are given the perfect amount of screentime, with the only exception being the newcomer Muse, who feels like he needed another episode.
At the end of the day, Daredevil: Born Again is a worthy successor to the Netflix show that came before it, and stands head and shoulders above all other original shows Marvel has pumped out for Disney+. It’s no surprise that fan response has been high across the board, and many are looking forward to season two, which is set to release next year.
If you have any attachment to the Daredevil character and/or Marvel as a whole, or simply need a show to binge after writing your last exam, Daredevil: Born Again is a choice you cannot go wrong with.
Rating: 9/10
